How to attach raised deck to brick veneer home?

Alan_

Hi all, 

I am having some designs drawn up for a raised deck attached to my house. 

The deck height will be 1200 from the ground and will be about 8m x 3.4m. 

My question is, how do I attach the deck to the house, is it common to attach a ledger board to brick veneer, my understanding that brick veneer cannot take lateral load. So that would mean attaching a ledger to the bearers under the house. Although this would mean that I would drill through the brick and lag screw the ledger into the bearers for support. 

I am not sure if this is the best approach. 

My other thought was to use the existing piers supporting the house and running bearers off this, but this might be tricky to get the required height. The last option is to have posts closer to the house, and would require more posts than what I really wanted. 

Would be really keen to hear your thoughts, as once I figure out the direction, the rest should be straight forward. 

Thanks, 

Alan 

MitchellMc

Hi @Alan_,

You're correct that the brick veneer is not a suitable attachment point, and any fixings for your ledger board would need to be made to the structural timber frame. The approach of drilling through the brick and lag screwing or bolting into the bearers under the house could work, but it's essential to ensure that the connections are robust and compliant with the relevant building codes.

As you mentioned, another option is to use the existing piers or run bearers from them. However, if achieving the correct height could be tricky, installing additional posts closer to the house might be the best option. Obviously, it is less desirable due to the increased number of posts, but it can provide the necessary support without relying on the house's structure.

Given that this is an elevated deck, and inadequate deck connections are the leading cause of catastrophic failure and injury, I strongly recommend consulting with an engineer. They can assess the specifics of your site and design and provide the best solutions to ensure safety and compliance with the National Construction Code. Additionally, they can help you consider any potential impacts on drainage, load distribution, and long-term stability.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell